Hillsborough's Goeddel Drafted 41st by Tampa Bay

Tyler Goeddel, a recent St. Francis High graduate and a Hillsborough resident, was selected 41^st overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft on Monday.

A compensation round pick, Goeddel was drafted near the end of the first day of the three-day event held in New Jersey.

“When they called my name, it was awesome,” Goeddel said on Wednesday. “I was a little surprised, but I knew they were one of the teams that had interest in me.”

A last minute East Coast trip may have had a major role in the former St. Francis third baseman’s landing spot.

Goeddel traveled to Florida last week and held a series of workouts for some teams, including Tampa Bay.

“I started getting a lot of interest last summer during the Area Code games,” Goeddel said. “Throughout the season I just tried to relax and play good. There was definitely some pressure.”

A four-year starter at St. Francis, Goeddel helped the Lancers win a share of the West Catholic Athletic League title this spring during a 25-6 season.

“I was really excited for him,” St. Francis head coach Mike Oakland said. “I replayed it on my TiVo a couple times just so I could hear them call his name again.”

Goeddel has committed to play at UCLA in the fall, but could decide to take the Rays offer and go straight to the professional ranks instead.

His older brother Erik played three seasons at UCLA before being drafted by the New York Mets last season.

“It’s definitely going to be a tough decision,” Goeddel said about whether to go to college or sign with the Rays. “I’m just going to wait and see what they (the Rays) say. They haven’t contacted me since the night I was drafted. Right now, I’m planning to go to UCLA in the fall.”

John Hart, a lead analyst on the MLB Network, and ESPN insider Jason Churchill said Goeddel projects as a corner outfielder down the road.

His high school coach believes Goeddel has the makeup to flourish wherever he’s penciled in on the lineup card.

“His tools, he just has all of them really,” Oakland said. “He has tremendous speed and his arm strength is outstanding. He’s definitely one of those kids that leads by example. He plays with an even-keel demeanor. That’s one of the things that I think will help him at the major league level.  It’s a very long season.”

Goeddel missed a month of his senior season due to a nasty bout with mono. He returned 15 pounds lighter to help the Lancers secure the No. 1 seed in the Central Coast Section Division I playoff bracket.

“It was really tough to not be able to play,” Goeddel said. “I missed some key league games. Hopefully I never have to deal with something like that (mono) again.”

Goeddel will play in a collegiate summer league in Washington state this summer. Draft picks usually begin to sign in late June and early July, with the signing deadline falling in mid-August.